The Boxcar Children, Surprise Island, the Yellow House Mystery

The Boxcar Children #1-3

by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Phyllis Newman (Narrator)

The Boxcar Children
Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny, four orphaned siblings, suddenly appear in a small town. The children make a home for themselves in an abandoned red boxcar they discover in the woods. Ambitious and resourceful, the plucky children make a happy life for themselves-until Violet gets too sick for her brothers and sister to care for her.
Surprise Island
Adventure abounds as Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny spend a summer living on their grandfather's island. The kids confidently face everyday challenges armed with only their imaginations and the support of each other. Listeners are in for a suspenseful ride as the Aldens work together to discover the true identity of Joe the handyman before their holiday ends.
The Yellow House Mystery
Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny used to live alone in a boxcar. Now they have a home with their grandfather and are determined to solve the mystery that surrounds an old yellow house on his property when they find a letter written by the brother of a man who vanished! And that's only the first startling discovery they make!

Genres: Childrens, Audiobook, Mystery

Audio CD

Published January 1, 2006

About the author

Gertrude Chandler Warner was born in Putnam, Connecticut, on April 16, 1890, to Edgar and Jane Warner. Her family included a sister, Frances, and a brother, John. From the age of five, she dreamed of becoming an author. She wrote stories for her Grandfather Carpenter, and each Christmas she gave him one of these stories as a gift. Today, Ms. Warner is best remembered as the author of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES.

As a child, Gertrude enjoyed many of the things that girls enjoy today. She loved furnishing a dollhouse with handmade furniture and she liked to read. Her favorite book was ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Often on Sundays after church, Gertrude enjoyed trips to visit her grandparents' farm. Along the way, she and Frances would stop to pick the wildflowers they both loved. Gertrude's favorite flower was the violet.

Her family was a very musical one. They were able to have a family orchestra, and Gertrude enjoyed playing the cello. Her father had brought her one from New York ---a cello, a bow, a case and an instruction book. All together, he paid $14. Later, as an adult, she began playing the pipe organ and sometimes substituted for the church organist.

Due to ill health, Ms. Warner never finished high school. She left in the middle of her second year and studied with a tutor. Then, in 1918, when teachers were called to serve in World War I, the school board asked her to teach first grade. She had forty children in the morning and forty more in the afternoon. Ms. Warner wrote, "I was asked or begged to take this job because I taught Sunday School. But believe me, day school is nothing like Sunday School, and I sure learned by doing --- I taught in that same room for 32 years, retiring at 60 to have more time to write." Eventually, Ms. Warner attended Yale, where she took several teacher training courses.

Once when she was sick and had to stay home from teaching, she thought up the story about the Boxcar Children. It was inspired by her childhood dreams. As a child, she had spent hours watching the trains go by near her family's home. Sometimes she could look through the window of a caboose and see a small stove, a little table, cracked cups with no saucers, and a tin coffee pot boiling away on the stove. The sight had fascinated her and made her dream about how much fun it would be to live and keep house in a boxcar or caboose. She read the story to her classes and rewrote it many times so the words were easy to understand. Some of her pupils spoke other languages at home and were just learning English. THE BOXCAR CHILDREN gave them a fun story that was easy to read.

Ms. Warner once wrote for her fans, "Perhaps you know that the original BOXCAR CHILDREN. . . raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it! Most of my own childhood exploits, such as living in a freight car, received very little cooperation from my parents."

Though the story of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN went through some changes after it was first written, the version that we are familiar with today was originally published in 1942 by Scott Foresman. Today, Albert Whitman & Company publishes this first classic story as well as the next eighteen Alden children adventures that were written by Ms. Warner.

Gertrude Chandler Warner died in 1979 at the age of 89 after a full life as a teacher, author, and volunteer for the American Red Cross and other charitable organizations. After her death, Albert Whitman & Company continued to receive mail from children across the country asking for more adventures about Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden. In 1991, Albert Whitman added to THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES so that today's children can enjoy many more adventures about this independent and caring group of children.

Books about Gertrude: https://www.goodreads.com/characters/...

Reviews

[Liander (The Towering Pile) Lavoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook of the first three Boxcar Children books was my first time getting into the series since reading a few of them as a kid. At first it was a lot to get used to how old-fashioned and cutesy it was, made more so by the narrator (who very much sounds like someone reading a bedtime story to small children). But I did find myself caught up in the feel-good narratives. It's a rather comforting series!

I don't have access to all of them but there are some more as audiobooks on Overdrive so I think I'll listen to the ones I can get!

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Crazy how as a kid some of the deeper themes flew right over my head, but I got it now. Lol Loved these wholesome stories, the way each character was weaved, and the plots. I'm surprised at how well written these are even from an adults point of view. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to these first three stories, narrated by Phyllis Newman.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bedtime reading with Benji 🥰

[Adayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook with the kids.

It was hard for me to listen to but my kids really enjoyed it and are asking for more Boxcar Children. It's appropriate and it has interesting scenarios that the kids were deeply invested in (it's all they asked for each time we got in the van). I couldn't help cringing at all the "she laughed", "he said, laughing", laugh laugh etc.

Never any sibling conflict, not even a harsh word, between them. They all think their little brother is just the cutest, sweetest, sassiest little dude no matter what he says or does lol.. I mean it's wholesome, I'll say that. Just not deep or realistic. I don't have the print book in front of me but I'm going to assume these books are more beginning chapter book reader material. So I guess I can understand why it wouldn't be the most high quality read aloud.

Anyway.. my kids, ages 3-7, would probably rate it 5 stars and I do enjoy their discussions and make-believe play based on the books.

[Ceindy]

I absolutely loved the first book when I was a kid and I think this book is why I enjoy cozy books so much. The next two books didn't have the nostalgia factor for me so it's charm was a bit lost. I think these are great for young readers but they are very simple and positive. They definitely show their age and time period, too.

[ErinJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were my favorite books when I was younger. Or maybe just the first one? I really thought they spent a looooot longer in the boxcar. I wanted to live in a boxcar. Kind of bummed they moved out so soon.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

We only listened to the first two books in this volume on our trip, but enjoyed them. It was nice to revisit a series from my childhood and hear it again as an adult, and also see it through the eyes of my own child. Narration wasn’t my favorite for all the voices, but still easy to listen to.

[Ann T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great books for kids. My kids enjoyed them as did i. I never read them as a child myself.

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little dated, but still a really wholesome and positive series of "mysteries"

[Aubri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stories that I remember well from being a young child. At the same time, the 2nd and 3rd books have somewhat cringey portrayals of Indigenous people/their history.

[Jessica Buzzard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

83%

Really enjoyable

[Pam Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 year old loved listening to this on audio!

[Hannah B · Rating 2 out of 5]

🌟2.5

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked all three books. I didn't read these when I was younger but I think I would have enjoyed them since I like camping, archaeology, canoeing, etc... I like how nicely the children get along too. I don't like kids books with misbehaving or mean children if it isn't addressed in the story.

My son (5yo) and I listened to these audio books and enjoyed them. He asked to hear some more books about the boxcar children.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this were a little dry for me, but Jack ate it up! He especially loved the museum idea and wants to create his own :).

[Evelyn]

they make me want to be a detective, they are so daring, the movie is awsome

[Kevin B · Rating 1 out of 5]

The reason why i gave the book a 1 star is because it really didn't catch my attention.

[Miss Manekofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great recommend for families traveling with children of various ages, as will appeal to wide age range;the children are little young 'MacGyvers'. Great narrator too!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read these with Ty for school. They're great for kids, but I can't stand them!

[Cheryl]

just revisiting my childhood. Still love this series :)